Typical Situation
by kzam
Summary: For Zack and Cloud, inviting Angeal to join their relationship was a simple decision. Dealing with Angeal's ex-boyfriend turning back up? That's a bit more complicated (eventual ASGZC).
1. Chapter 1

Hey! So, thanks for checking out this story! Just a quick note for anyone who may be wondering:

This fic will include a variety of pairings leading to a very eventual ASGZC. It's also worth mentioning this isn't my usual take on this pairing, so I hope you came with an open mind! You can expect plenty of the characters just living out their day to day lives as they start to build toward that eventual ASGZC pairing.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Zack didn't get nervous often, especially not around Cloud. A conversation like this though? Even he couldn't predict how his boyfriend might react this time. It was way past the time to talk about it though, so he took Cloud's hand into his own and clarified, "It's more than that."

Cloud blinked, his smile faltering slightly. "What's that mean?"

It was a regular occurrence for Zack to notice how attractive a co-worker was, or someone he ran into in a book store, or a someone he met in the mall—just like it was normal for him to tell Cloud as much, to admit to the harmless flirting that may have occurred. There was no reason to deny it, and no reason for Cloud to worry about it.

Zack liked to flirt, but he loved Cloud. He made sure there was never any doubt about that. But they weren't discussing his meaningless attraction toward a random person this time. Angeal was a mutual friend, one they'd known for several years now.

Originally he'd worked under Angeal as an intern, right out of college. A few years had passed since, and Zack had long since been hired on by the same company—he was head of his own department now, and his former boss had quickly become a solid work buddy. It hadn't taken long for Cloud to meet Angeal as well after being dragged along to more than a few of Zack's work functions.

And then that changed.

Somewhere along the line _work buddies_ had blurred into buddies who did more than greet each other in passing or grab the occasional drink to catch up or blow off steam after work. They had become _friends_ , and that came with the full benefit of hanging out around Cloud regularly as well—he _did_ live with Zack, after all.

Angeal had eventually left the company, opting to open his own business—a venture Cloud had joined him on, as his own dabbles into the workforce hadn't gone quite as smoothly as Zack's. He was happy for both of them, supporting their decision in any way he could…but it was hard not to notice that they were spending even _more_ time with Angeal since that change. Harder yet to ignore the fact he was enjoying it more and more.

"I don't know, he's just…there's something about him I can't shake," Zack tried to explain. "You know what I mean, right?"

"He _is_ …"

Handsome. Considerate. Kind. Probably at least a dozen other great things he could see Cloud struggling to say. The thought alone made his heart flutter in the most peculiar way, something he'd been trying to ignore for a few weeks too many now. He gave his boyfriend's hand a gentle squeeze, encouraging him to think out loud.

"Okay, yeah," Cloud admitted with a sigh. "I get what you mean. I just don't get what you want to do about it."

"I dunno, it all depends what _you_ wanna do."

"So you already know what you'd want then?"

"Kinda. But like I said, I wanna do what you wanna do."

Cloud arched an eyebrow. "It's fine, just tell me. Did you wanna try hooking up with him?"

Something they had done way back when—separate hookups. Fun but meaningless one night stands they had both agreed would be acceptable when their relationship was a bit more casual than it had become.

"Uh, yeah. But it's more than that."

"You want…both of us to hook up with him?"

Another thing they had tried a handful of times. Also fun, also casual—but something they had both found not quite as fulfilling as they had hoped. It had actually been the breaking point where they realized they either needed to be exclusive with each other, or call things off entirely. Neither had looked back since their decision to keep things between them only.

"Getting warmer."

"You want us to do more than hook up with him?"

"…Only if you do."

"Like…have him be a part of our relationship?" Cloud pressed, blinking when Zack nodded in acknowledgment. "Us and him? Regularly?"

"Yeah."

Zack watched carefully, noticing the way Cloud's eyes narrowed in thought. He had so many thoughts of his own about this—why it was a good idea, how it would work out with three of them…But it was a big change no matter how he presented it, so he bit his tongue, hoping to give Cloud time to really think about it himself.

This was something they'd never done before—something they'd never even discussed. Dating anyone else. Their relationship had been exclusive for years now, and they'd been much happier since. It was _Angeal_ they were talking about though. That alone made it different in a way he couldn't totally pinpoint. They had other mutual friends, but the connection he felt with Angeal was unlike the rest.

"He's my business partner," Cloud said, an obvious but necessary statement.

"Hey, that's why it's a discussion. If you're not comfortable about something, that's fine. It's not like you work for ShinRa and there's tons of policy about this stuff. I figure you guys are your own bosses—you're both mature enough to handle it if we took a step in that direction and it doesn't work out or something. Just a matter of whether or not you think it's worth the risk."

"…I don't think he's the kind of guy to hold a grudge."

"I don't either. And it's not like we know how he feels about us—I mean, he _likes_ us, but that doesn't mean he's interested in more, right?"

"Right. I guess we could talk to him about it first. There's no point stressing if he's not even into the idea."

"But _you're_ into the idea, right? You can tell me if it's not something—"

"Zack," Cloud interrupted, slightly exasperated. "If I wasn't into it, I'd have said so by now."

"You're sure? You don't sound…I dunno, enthusiastic."

"I've been thinking about him maybe more than I let on," he admitted slowly. "There's definitely something about him, and if we both agree and we both could see something more with him…you're right, maybe it'd be worth pursuing."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Wanting to see if he makes this even better doesn't make it any less. Right?"

Cloud scoffed, instantly easing the rest of Zack's potential concerns. "Of course not."

"So you could see it—all three of us together?"

"Yeah, I could. I mean, he's over so often anyway lately, he already kinda feels like more than any of our other friends. It's not that big of a stretch to think about even more with him."

"You think he'd be interested?"

Cloud considered it shortly. "He always play along with your flirts."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean much, it's just fun—most people play along."

"I guess. Your flirts are kinda different with him though. And he blushes."

"Does he?"

"Yeah," Cloud confirmed with a small smile. "It's really cute on a big guy like him."

"Look at you! You're blushing just thinking about it. Almost makes me wish I'd brought all this up sooner."

"How long have you been thinking about it?"

Zack shrugged. "I dunno exactly. I guess it kinda started when we found out he was single again, but I never thought about you any less so I kept trying to shrug it off, ya know?" Cloud nodded in understanding. "It wasn't until our holiday party that it occurred to me there might be a better solution."

"Why the party? Nothing even happened."

"Uh, because you two got each other for the gift swap and both spent an entire _month_ stressing about what to get! It was cute at first, but borderline obnoxious by the end of the month."

"I didn't wanna get him something he wouldn't like."

"It was a twenty gil price limit! Anything was gonna be a silly gift, that's the entire point!"

"I know, but I wanted to get him something nice still."

"And that was when I realized how bad you had it! Anyone else woulda just gotten him a potted plant and called it a day."

"Everyone gets him gardening stuff."

"Exactly! You care enough to notice things like that and do something special instead, even when it's just s'posed to be a silly gift exchange. And _him_ , I still can't believe he got you that book! I looked it up, y'know. That author hasn't had a leg of his book tour in this area in almost a year—he's doing a full Gaia tour, so he's all over the place."

"So?"

"So for Ang to get that autographed by the author, he musta gone way outta his way. And that's gotta boost the value way up past the twenty gil mark, right? For a guy that cheap, that's impressive."

So impressive that he'd been a little jealous that _he_ hadn't gotten Cloud such a thoughtful gift. He followed Cloud's gaze to their bookshelf, eyeing the book in its prominent place; _To Be Loved,_ by Genesis Rhapsodos. One of their favorites, albeit a guilty pleasure more than anything. Usually he was more into adventure fantasy or sci-fi stuff, but at some point he and Cloud had both started reading the occasional romance novel. Their interest had only gone up when Genesis Rhapsodos hit the writing scene, his book a complete standout in the genre.

The man had a talent, arguably second only to the renowned Sephiroth Crescent.

"It was definitely better than what I ended up getting him," Cloud concluded, tearing his eyes away from the book to meet Zack's again. "Is he still coming by for dinner tonight?"

"Uh, it's meatball Monday, he'd better be here!"

Angeal _did_ make the best meatballs. Cloud seemed to be thinking the same thing, promptly pulling out his phone. "I'll send him a message to make sure."

"You think we should talk to him about all this tonight, or do you wanna talk it out just us a bit more?"

His boyfriend looked over at him. "Is there more you wanted to talk about?"

"Nah, I mean, I think that's everything. I want more, you want more—makes sense to go for it."

"Then let's go for it."

* * *

Angeal's meatballs looked and smelled delightful, as expected. He always joked about how he was supposed to be the guest, not the cook, but he was the first one to get his hands messy in the kitchen when he came by to see Zack and Cloud. The weird thing was, none of them were even sure how their little Monday night tradition had begun—they were just sure they were enjoying it.

"Go sit down now!" Zack insisted, gently steering Angeal out of the kitchen. "I got the rest of this under control."

"Remember not to burn the garlic bread."

" _Again_ ," Cloud added, winking when he caught Zack's eyes.

He huffed playfully, wasting no time headed back into the kitchen because…well, he might've forgotten how long the garlic bread had been in now that he was thinking about it. Everything else was basically done for him, waiting to be plated up already.

The bread, thankfully, was done perfectly when he peered into the oven. He pulled out some plates, listening in on the conversation in the next room as he began portioning out their meals.

"So," Angeal began, taking a long sip of his beer, "how'd that meeting go?"

"It went okay," Cloud replied. "I think he's trying to play it cool—read the contract again overnight before calling with his answer tomorrow. I'm pretty sure he's gonna sign though."

"Oh yeah? Maybe you should handle those meetings more often. He sounded like a tough sell when we set that meeting up."

"I think I prefer handling the designs and deliveries," Cloud said, both men laughing softly. "You're better at dealing with those people."

"Don't sell yourself short. We haven't even been in business for a year yet and our growth numbers are three times what we expected. And just think, our flour cost will go down 20% if he signs—that's huge! And all of that, it's not just me—that's _us_. As a team."

"Us," Cloud repeated, bringing a smile to Zack's face.

It was like they'd given him a cue to enter the dining area, and he was ready to run with it.

"Us, huh?" Zack said, a plate in each hand and a third balanced gracefully on his forearm. Maybe he was showing off just a little. He passed them out effortlessly before settling down in his own chair, not skipping a beat now that he had both their attention. "I like the sound of that."

"Yeah, too bad you're not included."

Angeal chuckled. "That's right—you're ShinRa's plaything still."

"Hey! It's not my fault you deserted," Zack teased, putting on his best smile. "I'll be the first one to admit the company has its problems, but that's what I'm working toward, right? Solutions."

"You're going to solve all ShinRa's environmental problems from the marketing department?" Angeal asked, half serious and half joking.

"Trust me on this, I'm a first class businessman these days. I can convince them that marketing eco-friendly, clean energy would be a breeze—that profits would go up with a few changes. I just need a little more time to get them some specific projections. These kinda people only think in numbers."

"You always did like to take on big challenges," Angeal said fondly.

"Yep. I feel like I got some of that from you actually. Someone's gotta be the hero, right?"

"Little did you know I'd turn tail and go open a custom cake shop."

Zack laughed. "I shoulda known. You were always talking about dreams and all that—it only made sense for you to go pursue yours. And ya know, I can't say I blame you—I mean, not only do you get to make fancy cakes all day, youget to work with Midgar's sexiest deliveryman!"

"Well, I won't argue with you on that."

Zack raised an eyebrow, his smile turning into a big smirk. "Oh?"

"Oh, no," Angeal corrected quickly, clearing his throat. He turned his attention to the blond. "What I mean is, it's been a pleasure working with you, Cloud. I couldn't ask for a better business partner. Not to say that you aren't Midgar's sexiest deliveryman—that's something I haven't put a lot of thought into."

"But you _did_ think about it?"

" _Zack!"_ Cloud said, looking more red than Angeal did. It never got old seeing him get like that, even after all these years.

"What? He knows I'm kidding around. Plus, it's not like I'm gonna be upset if he says yeah. I'm kinda hoping he will at this point."

"You are?" Angeal asked, brows furrowed.

"Look, let's stop beating around the bush here. Cloud and I were talking about it and we both kinda feel like you're more to us than just another one of our friends. You're…different."

"You've been here for me through some difficult times—this last year in particular…I don't know what I would've done without your support."

"Yeah, but it's a lot more than that now. To us at least."

Zack nudged Cloud with his elbow, shooting him an encouraging look. It was his turn to chime in. If they were serious about this, they needed to make it clear it was something they _both_ wanted.

The dilemma was clear on Cloud's face though. Neither of them were the best at explaining how they felt _romantically._ Cute or fun? Sure. Smooth or charming? Zack could handle that, too. They were even pretty good at being straight up blunt these days.

The mushier bits were a bit more complicated, for Cloud especially. Zack nodded reassuringly, hoping Cloud would take a hint—he didn't really need to say anything mushy here. He just needed to say _something._

"We care about you more than we'd originally planned, Ang," Cloud settled on, tacking on a tiny smile.

"…How so?"

"We want take all this all to the next level with you," the blond explained slowly. "Maybe call this date night instead of meatball Monday. See how things for from there."

Angeal, bless his heart, looked completely dumbfounded. "You want to date me?" The two nodded. "Both of you do?" Another pair of nods. "All together though?"

"Yeah," the boyfriends answered, one amused but no less sincere.

"You just seem so happy together already. Why would you want—"

"We're happy," Zack jumped in quickly, reaching out to give Cloud's hand an obvious squeeze on the tabletop. Neither pulled back after. "Hell, things are the best they've ever been right now. But we think with you it'd be even better."

"Yeah," Cloud agreed easily. "We spend so much time together already—I mean, I never thought I'd be this close to anyone other than Zack, but with you it's just…"

"Easy," Angeal finished, nodding in agreement with the sentiment. "I feel the same about both of you."

The long pause that followed was a bit unsettling though.

Zack could practically see the high hopes draining from Cloud's face, replaced by a look of caution. He tried to keep his own expression neutral, but his stomach was turning in a way that felt all wrong on meatball Monday.

"…But?" he prompted gently, the silence too much.

"It's not a but," Angeal responded instantly. "It's more…I guess I feel a little out of my depth here. I've never done this before—gotten involved with more than one person like this."

"Neither have I," Zack admitted, hand on the back of his neck. "But, I mean, we all care about each other, right? We have fun together, we _want_ it to work—that's at least half the battle in any relationship!"

"And the other half?" he asked, glancing in Cloud's direction.

"Communication and follow through," the blond answered, almost automatically. The sudden confidence in his voice brought the smile back to Zack's face. "I've never done this either, but I'm pretty sure that's the same no matter how many people you're with."

Angeal seemed to be considering them both seriously, taking his time to really think it over. "You're right," he said finally. "I'm willing to give it a try, if you're sure."

"We're sure," Zack confirmed, reaching out with his other hand to snatch Angeal's. "This just feels right."

"It's been a while since I was involved with anyone romantically."

"No big deal. Like you guys said, things've always been easy with us. We'll just tackle it day by day, see how it goes."

"So…date night?" Angeal clarified, looking from Zack to Cloud tentatively.

"Yep! Thanks for making the meatballs, babe!"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "You're gonna run him off on our first date."

"Hey, if he was that easy to run off, he woulda stopped hanging out with us ages ago."

"Sometimes I _do_ wonder what's kept me around."

They shared a laugh, the remaining nerves dwindling away as they clinked their bottles together. The food was probably a bit cold by now, but no one seemed to mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you all so much for the support!

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Angeal had originally expected jealousy. Bursts of inexplicable or irrational behavior, at the very least.

It wasn't that he _wanted_ any of those things, but it just seemed realistic under the circumstances. Sure, Zack and Cloud had never behaved in a manner that justified his concerns, but having three people in a relationship…just because it _sounded_ nice didn't mean it would automatically be smooth sailing. And if things went wrong after those two had been together for so long, it didn't take an expert to figure he'd be the odd one out.

So he'd kept his guard up and expectations low, still putting in his best effort, but with caution—with as much awareness as possible, hoping at least he wouldn't be blindsided if something _did_ go wrong.

They hadn't been together particularly long (a few months, he figured) when it finally clicked though.

There was nothing to worry about with these two. Whether or not they'd last forever was up in the air, but he was sure jealousies wouldn't be a factor regardless. Once he'd accepted that truth, things had only gotten better among them.

That, of course, didn't mean they weren't still working out a few issues here and there. It was becoming more and more obvious he wasn't the only one who had entered the relationship with some lingering concerns.

"We spent all day together," Cloud said, a hand on his hip. Zack countered it by folding his arms across his chest, looking as good as ever with his amused expression. "Don't give me that look! I'm just saying, it's fine if you wanna come with us."

"Work doesn't count as spending time together," Zack insisted firmly. "You seem to forget that I've worked with both of you at different points, so I _know_. Aside from a lunch break, you probably don't even give yourselves the chance to look at each other."

Assuming their breaks lined up, Angeal thought with a frown. Just because they worked together didn't mean they literally worked _together—_ they handled different aspects of their business, sometimes going the entire workday without seeing one another.

"I think Zack has a point, Cloud," Angeal decided, reaching out and putting an arm around the blond just because he could.

Cloud sunk comfortably into his side, letting out a short sigh. "I'm not saying he doesn't have a point, I just mean…I don't want anyone to feel like they're being left out."

"I dunno how many ways you want me to tell you I don't feel left out. If anything, I feel bad! Ang and I've gone on twice as many dates as you guys because you keep getting it in your head that work counts or that we're keeping score or something."

"I know we're not keeping score," Cloud grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I just…I really want things to work with all of us."

"Things are going great! Stop overthinking it," Zack encouraged, shooing them toward the door. "Have an awesome time tonight, seriously."

"We will," Angeal said, smiling as Zack leaned in for a kiss.

He had expected Cloud to get the same treatment, but found himself laughing when Zack opted to give the blond a slap on the ass and a wink instead.

"I don't wanna see either of you until tomorrow," Zack joked, waving goodbye one last time before shutting the door to the house he shared with Cloud.

"I swear, he's such a pain in the ass," the blond muttered, though he was chuckling under his breath by that point. "Literally this time."

"He means well."

"I know he does. And I know he's right. Maybe I'm just trying too hard."

"I appreciate all the effort you're putting in, and I'm sure Zack does as well," Angeal told him. "But it's important not to forget yourself, too. You make sure Zack and I have so much time together, but that means you're not able to spend as much time with either of us."

"I kinda noticed that," he admitted quietly. "But then I felt like the time I _did_ get with each of you or altogether was perfect anyway, so…it was worth it in a way, if that makes sense."

"I understand. It doesn't have to be that way though—we can all get what we want from this relationship," Angeal said, smiling warmly when he met Cloud's eyes. "I was worried at first that this may be strange for you two, seeing someone you've been with for so long off with another man. But it's almost like our problem is the opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"You're both more concerned about the other not spending enough time with me."

"Well, yeah. I mean, there's definitely no jealousy—we wouldn't have agreed to this if we thought it'd make things weird with us, you know? Zack and I are solid."

"I know that now."

"And actually, it's one of my favorite things—hearing about the stuff you guys get up to when you go out," Cloud explained, the fondness obvious in his tone. "We never wanted you to feel like an outsider—like me and him being together for so long meant you were less important."

"I never felt that way, but I did worry for a while it might end up like that if there was an argument or something along those lines. You've both done more than enough to show me otherwise by now though." He paused, smiling warmly as he met Cloud's eyes. "Why don't we focus on tonight instead of all this? I want to make this time together count."

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Well, I was planning to bring you back to my place and make you dinner, but I think a night out might do us some good," Angeal suggested. "Why don't we go to that place you like—the Nibel one that Zack doesn't like?"

"Really?" Cloud asked, clearly skeptical.

"Just because he doesn't like your hometown food doesn't mean I won't."

"I guess I'm just used to compromising on a place we both like," he said, smiling a bit. "But yeah, you know what—that'd be great. I bet you'll like it, actually. The foods are just heavier than what Zack's used to."

"I'm sure I'll find something I like," Angeal assured him, opening the door to the passenger's seat of his car. Cloud stole a quick kiss before sliding in, Angeal hurrying around to the other side.

It was only a ten minute drive, but it flew by, worries forgotten as they got into the details of their days. Again Angeal was awed to think how they really were in different worlds despite working so closely together. Cloud had spent most the day on a delivery just outside the city, while Angeal had stayed in the shop to get started on their next order.

Everything they said was something that could wait though—a conversation they could have the next time they _did_ get to interact at work.

"Maybe we should make it a rule not to talk about work tonight either," he suggested, carefully parking the car as they arrived.

Cloud looked over at him curiously. "So you don't wanna talk about our relationship, you don't wanna talk about work—what _do_ you want to talk about tonight, Mr. Hewley?"

"I'd like to talk about you," he replied smoothly.

"Nothing to say," Cloud said with a shrug. "You already know everything there is to know."

"I doubt that," Angeal said, taking Cloud by the hand as they walked inside. He responded with a _two_ when asked how many, the pair following the hostess over to a cozy looking booth in the far corner of the restaurant. It was actually a lot busier than he'd expected, but it didn't take long to block all that out as he met Cloud's eyes again. "You know, I've always wondered how you became a deliveryman of all things."

Cloud laughed, clearly surprised by his boyfriend's first inquiry. "How do you not know this already?"

"I don't know—but that's what this is all about, right? Filling in the missing details."

"There's not really a story. Zack had graduated a couple years ahead of me and he'd just…I mean, you know him. He'd gone from intern to signed on so quickly—it was obvious he was on the fast track with ShinRa," Cloud explained, smiling at some unspoken memory. Angeal rubbed his thumb over the blond's knuckles, waiting patiently to hear more. "I ended up applying for the internship slot that opened when he got his official position. I didn't get it."

"ShinRa has never been known for their good judgment."

He laughed softly. "Yeah, well, I can see it was for the best now. Hearing some of Zack's stories about that place…"

"I've been much happier since I left the company," Angeal said solemnly.

"I bet. But basically, I was fresh out of school, and—" Cloud cut himself off, glancing up as their server arrived.

"Cloud! Long time no see!" the man greeted, a big smile on his face.

"You know how Zack is," Cloud replied with a shrug.

The man laughed, nodding at that. "At least he's friendly about his complaints. Is he around too? I can bring over a third menu if—"

"Oh, no, he's at home. This is my date for the night."

"I see," the man said, his smile present but shrinking. "Can I get you guys something to drink, an appetizer maybe?"

"Nibel ale," Cloud responded, not bothering to eye the drink menu. "Just a bottle though, not the big pint this time."

The man turned his gaze on Angeal. "And for you?" he asked, his voice unmistakably sharp.

"I think I'll just have water for now, thank you."

"I'll be right back with those then!"

"Wow," Angeal muttered, chuckling softly when their waiter was out of hearing range. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Oh, no. I'm not even a regular here—they only remember me because of Zack," Cloud explained, rolling his eyes. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said you were my date, that's probably why he looked at you like you were some kinda home wrecker or something."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I'm glad you said that—we don't owe anyone an explanation. I'm more curious why they remember Zack so well if he doesn't come often."

"You know how waiters come around to check on you, make sure everything tastes good?"

"Of course."

"Well, Zack's always really honest about how much he doesn't like it," the blond said, grinning as he shook his head. "He's nice about it, but it always turns into a big joke. I think he's the only person who could tell someone their food is awful and still get them to laugh about it."

"I can imagine."

"Seriously, if you ever want a good laugh, bring Zack here and you'll see for yourself. He can never just order a salad or something he knows he won't mind—he always goes for something he's never heard of and just hates it."

"I might have to do that one of these nights." Angeal paused, catching sight of the waiter returning with their drinks. He eyed the menu quickly, settling on a Nibel stew—Cloud got his usual, which was apparently some type of casserole Angeal had never heard of before. The waiter only sent him one more subtle scowl before leaving them in peace, both choosing to just ignore it this time. "So—you were telling me how you came to be Midgar's sexiest deliveryman?"

Cloud laughed instantly, looking like he choked a little on his beer. "Don't call me that."

"What? I think I'm allowed to say it now."

"Seriously, there's gotta be a better compliment you can come up with," Cloud insisted with a smirk. Angeal just smiled in return, giving Cloud the time to get back to the real subject. "So the internship. Obviously I didn't get it. I was really down about it, but I needed a job so I started applying all around. The first call I got was from a delivery service. I did an interview, got the job, and that was that. Not a great story."

"I don't know about that, I enjoyed hearing it."

"You already know the better story. How I was going to start applying for different jobs but decided I'd rather work for myself instead. How I started saving all my gil. Just like you know I would've had to keep saving for years if you hadn't suggested we get into business together."

Angeal couldn't help smiling fondly at the soft look on Cloud's face.

It was a bit harder to look back on some of that time himself. Working for ShinRa had never been fulfilling, and after a difficult breakup…well, he'd been ready for a big change in his day to day life. He'd _needed_ it, the mundane routine highlighting the absence of the only man who had made it tolerable.

But now he had his dream job, two amazing boyfriends, and a renewed sense of purpose. Maybe it hurt to look back, and maybe there were times when he missed the man who left him behind…but at the end of the day, he wouldn't change a thing.

"Ang?" Cloud gently prodded.

"Sorry. I was just thinking how lucky I am," he explained, shaking the stray thoughts from his head.

"Lucky?"

"Yes. It was all good timing, wasn't it? We were both at a point in our lives where we wanted change, neither of us were ready to go for it alone. It wasn't exactly a great business decision though, rushing into it together the way we did."

Cloud snorted. "Yeah. I can't say I knew much about cakes."

"But here we are, still in business. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I thought you'd mostly just handle deliveries, but you've done so much more than that. Our business would've sunk in the first month if you hadn't stepped up the way you did."

"Ang, we're already sleeping together, you don't need to flatter me."

"It's not flattery. I was naïve to think I could handle all the other aspects of the business by myself. Getting into the cake business is a lot more than just baking."

"Yeah, but you had years of business experience."

"There's a big difference between working for a big business and running a small one."

"I guess we _are_ a pretty good team."

"We are," he agreed, smiling warmly. It didn't fade until their food arrived, Angeal wasting no time to trying a large spoonful. It tasted...interesting. Not bad, but not quite what he'd expected. "What's in this anyway?"

Cloud eyed him for a long moment. "You probably don't wanna know."

The frown deepened on his face as he looked from his boyfriend to his bowl, then back up again. Before he could decide whether or not he really _did_ want to know, the blond was outright laughing at him, the sound far too light and infectious for him to be anything other than amused as well.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey! Just a heads up for anyone who may not have noticed - I posted two chapters today, so you may wanna swing back and check out Chapter Two if you missed that. Thanks so much for the support!

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

Cloud watched as Angeal diligently boxed up yet another of his masterpieces, smirking when his newest boyfriend was finally content with the packaging. So focused…it never got old seeing how invested Angeal was in every single aspect of his job. Finally he looked up, smiling back at Cloud.

"You know," Angeal said, taking a step away from the counter before tugging Cloud in close, "I've thought about this before."

"About what?"

"Reaching out and grabbing you just like this—right here. It finally occurred to me that nothing's stopping me anymore."

He raised both brows. They'd been very careful about treading this path since their relationship had started six months prior…mixing business with pleasure. Work had, for the most part, remained just that— _work._

But there was no denying Cloud liked where this conversation was going. "Is that all?"

"Well, I've thought about much more. But this is a cake shop even if we're not set up for customers like a regular bakery. We have to keep things sanitary back here."

"Maybe we can head up to my office and you can tell me more about what you had in mind."

"Mm, I'd like that," Angeal agreed, kissing Cloud's neck so sweetly. "After you take this though. The buyer won't be pleased if we miss the drop off time. It came out perfectly too—I'm excited to hear about their reaction when they see it."

"Right," Cloud muttered, both frazzled and disappointed when Angeal pulled back. He reached out, cupping Angeal's face and drawing him back in for one quick kiss before brushing his thumb gently over the man's right cheek. "You had some flour there."

"Thank you. You'd better get going before we get too distracted."

"Yeah. You have another order to get started on, right?"

"Three more this week," Angeal confirmed.

Cloud frowned—it was already Thursday. Three more cakes this week meant Angeal would be pulling some extra hours, again.

These weren't simple, round cakes with a coat of frosting and a sloppy _happy birthday_ iced on top.

These were custom cakes, shaped and decorated to suit each individual client's need. Every single one was its own extended project for Angeal—from baking the cakes, making the fondant and icings, and creating the homemade toppings (candies, cupcakes, and a full assortment of other edible delights) to crafting the materials into the image the buyer had in mind for their event (in this case, a two foot tall cactaur cake, one arm up and one arm down. Its body was covered in 1,000 edible 'needles', as per the client's original request.)

…It was a time consuming process, to say the least.

More so than Cloud had initially realized, and he was a 50/50 partner in the business. He just handled designing the cakes though—sketching out the orders as they were received, confirming details with their clients, and ultimately delivering them upon completion (sometimes out of the city even, if they were being paid enough). On top of all that, he had to handle their schedules, making sure not to overbook any given day or week since they were a two man show at the moment.

It was actually a lot of work on most days, but it was the easy job comparatively. They both handled meetings with suppliers as they could, though with their business on the rise, Cloud was doing as much as he could on the business end to free up Angeal's time for more orders.

"We need to hire a baking assistant," Cloud insisted, something that was becoming a repetitive suggestion now.

"We need to think about getting a company van to transport these safely, too," Angeal countered.

"They're safe on the back of my bike. I made that custom cooler myself just for these cakes, and I always turn slow enough that nothing shifts or falls apart."

"It's not just about that, it's about your own safety. Some of the designs are getting more and more detailed—they're bigger and heavier. The extra weight could—"

"Even with everything I have back there to secure it, it's not like a cake'll ever be heavier than having a person back there."

"But a cake doesn't lean with you when you turn."

Cloud frowned. Maybe Angeal had a point there. "I guess. Profits are high enough to warrant both, so we can talk about that later. For now, I think the priority needs to be getting a baking assistant in here as soon as we can. We could even hire two and open that front section up for regular customers, like a real shop. Do some pre-made cakes for people who can't afford to special order like this."

"I _would_ like my cakes to be more accessible to the average person. I think we could still do some unique designs still, even if they aren't as customized. Maybe some other baked goods for people who want something small."

"I better get this secured to the bike and head out," Cloud said, eyeing the clock quickly. "We'll talk more about all this later?"

"I'll be gone by the time you're back from that one. Zack said something about a surprise night on the town, just the two of us."

Cloud smiled warmly—Zack _had_ mentioned that to him earlier. Angeal was definitely in for a treat. "No problem. I guess we'll just have to find time to have that office meeting we talked about tomorrow—then we can work out those other details after."

"Sounds good. Let me know how they like the cake?"

"Of course," Cloud replied, letting Angeal steal one last kiss. "Have fun tonight."

"You too."

"I will. I haven't had the place to myself in ages—I might be able to get some stuff done without being interrupted for a change."

Like comb through their schedules to see about freeing up time to do some employee interviews. There was also a cracked cabinet door that had become something of an eyesore, and he knew it was only a matter of time before Angeal took it upon himself to fix it if he didn't get to it first…

That or maybe he could read his newest book— _LOVELESS_ , the highly anticipated sequel to _To Be Loved._ Zack had surprised him with a copy of the book that very morning, and the gesture seemed a lot more thoughtful now that he remembered both his boyfriends would be out that evening.

The dramatic new title and use of capital letters definitely sparked Cloud's interest already, and he was more than a little curious to see how it would factor into the story. _To Be Loved_ had been such an uplifting romance, he was actually a bit worried to think about what might be in store for the characters this time around.

Yeah, the more he thought it over, the more he needed to find out. Some alone time to read sounded relaxing, too. He'd just need to check the work calendar before headed home, and the pesky cabinet could wait a few more days.

* * *

Page 263.

 _"My friend, the fates are cruel," Ignis said, so whimsically as he eyed Gladiolus. He reached out, tracing his fingers delicately along Gladiolus' muscled arms._

 _"We knew this day would come."_

 _An understatement given the circumstances. It hurt to say more though—to think about what it meant now that this day had finally arrived._

 _"I'm happy for you," Gladiolus insisted. It would have been soothing if not for the crack in his voice. "I always knew you'd succeed."_

 _A long pause lingered in the air, unpleasant and unbefitting two men who had known each other for so many years. At the end of it, Ignis reached out, offering the book in his hand to the larger man._

 _"For you," he muttered, his smile looking a bit forced as well. "You know, it's not too late to change your mind, Gladiolus. You can come with me."_

Cloud could feel his heart breaking, too invested in their relationship to sit idly by while they…broke up? But there wasn't much else he could do other than keep going—keep reading and see them through to the end. There were still a hundred pages at least, which meant there was time for them to work it out.

He kept scanning the pages, eager yet tense—but even as focused as he was, there was no mistaking the sound of Zack's car pulling up into their driveway.

 _"You know I can't, Ignis. We've been over this a dozen times now."_

 _"And you were wrong each time. I love you—I want you to join me."_

 _"I love you too," Gladiolus responded, a severe frown on his face as he eyed his lover. "That doesn't change anything. My life is here."_

 _"Am I not an important part of your life?"_

 _"Of course you are! Don't say it like that, it's not—"_

 _"I've offered to pay. I can take care of us, Gladiolus, if you'd just let me."_

 _"…You know I can't let you do that. It's not…it's just not who I am, Ig. I need to work—to pitch in and do things for myself."_

 _"Yes, you've always been that way. Stubbornly so."_

 _"You say it like I'm the only one being stubborn. We can make this work—it's only a few months."_

 _"The first leg of the tour is a few months. It's a two year contract. Unless something goes terribly awry, we both know I'll be gone for the duration."_

 _"I can wait for you."_

 _"That's not how I want to live my life," Ignis said, and not for the first time. "I can handle time apart, but two years? We both know that won't work for me. I'm not ashamed to say I'm too needy for that."_

 _"If you're going to go, then go."_

 _"It's so easy to send me away after all this time?"_

 _"Stop doing that—acting like this doesn't matter to me. It matters, Ignis, and I'm not happy about it."_

 _"You just told me you were happy—"_

 _"I'm happy you're achieving your dreams! That you get to go have all the experiences you've imagined for all these years. I'm not happy you're leaving me behind in the process."_

 _"Not by choice."_

 _"…I think we've both made our choices here."_

 _"Apparently we have. I'll see you in two years then—don't wait for me."_

There was no way to tear his eyes away from the page as the door opened, two sets of footsteps ignored as he pressed onward.

"Hey, babe. How's the book?"

Cloud held up a finger, still scanning the page. His jaw dropped slightly, Ignis walking out the door and leaving Gladiolus there…neither looking back. Those idiots! It was infuriating to think about, especially after everything they had gone through— _years_ of friendship leading to a well-deserved romance—how could either walk away so easily?

They were both too stubborn for their own good—too hurt to realize they were just hurting themselves more by letting this happen.

"No spoilers!" Zack exclaimed, a hand on his hip as he eyed Cloud. "I can tell by the look on your face something bad happened, and I don't wanna know. I'm planning to read it when you were done."

"I might stay up to finish it tonight," Cloud admitted, reluctantly closing the book and leaving it on the arm rest as he hopped up to properly greet both of his boyfriends. The nagging voice in his head was still dying to keep reading, but damn it felt good to wrap his arms around these two. "Did you guys have a good time?"

"It was the best date I've had in years. Other than our date nights altogether, of course," Angeal answered, chuckling softly as Zack's smirk grew. "What're you reading? I thought you said you had things to do tonight."

"Uh, I did, but this sounded more fun," he explained with a shrug. He snatched the book and offered it to Angeal to take a look, his boyfriend eyeing it over curiously. "Zack got it for me—it just came out a few days ago. It's actually the sequel to—"

" _To Be Loved,"_ Angeal finished, his smile faltering. "I hadn't realized there was a sequel."

"I don't think it was planned originally. The book really took off though, and so many people wanted more—I guess the author couldn't say no. It's really good so far, but totally heartbreaking."

"No spoilers!" Zack warned again, completely serious as he pointed a finger at Cloud.

Of course, Cloud just rolled his eyes in response to that. "You know," he started, turning his attention to Angeal. Something about what he was going to say felt… _right_ , but he still felt weird saying it out loud after thinking it for so long. Angeal just looked so patient as he paused though, his eyes giving Cloud the courage to continue, "You kinda look like how I imagine one of the main characters. Before we were together even, I always had you in mind when I read the first book."

"Hey, me too!" Zack admitted eagerly. "All that's missing are the tattoos."

"It's not that surprising," Angeal said, letting out a short sigh. "The character is…"

"You read the first book?"

"You could say that. I basically had it recited to me from start to finish," Angeal explained carefully.

"Your ex was a fan?" Cloud guessed, not super surprised—it _was_ a pretty popular book. What was more surprising was Angeal's beet red face and the way he was struggling to hold eye contact with either of them now. "Ang, are you okay?"

"Remember how I told you my ex-boyfriend was a writer?"

"Yeah—the guy you were with before us. You said he took off to pursue his…" Zack paused, eyes lighting up with realization. It took a minute before Cloud caught on, not quite sure if he believed it. "No way. You actually _are_ Gladiolus?"

"No, he's a fictional character," Angeal said sternly. "He's just…based off me. Genesis had added some extra details like the different hairstyle and the tattoos because I felt awkward about the whole thing. He made Ignis look different from himself too, something about how he didn't want to seem pompous by blatantly having the lead man match his description."

"How'd he pick your name? Was it like…a kinky codename?"

"No! I have a cousin named Gladiolus, and Gen liked to tease about—" Angeal shook his head, cutting himself off. "It doesn't matter. The point is, I had no idea he was writing a follow up piece."

"Well, I guess I can kinda assume they break up, huh?" Zack realized, pouting a bit.

"Maybe not," Cloud said slowly. "I've got a hundred pages still—it could be he changed things for the sake of fiction. People like happy endings."

"I can't believe he wrote another book and didn't even tell me," Angeal grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I would've… _warned_ you or something. I didn't think it was a big enough deal to mention before."

"Hey, don't worry about that," Zack told him, rubbing smooth, calming circles into Angeal's back. "I'm sure Cloud and I have exes we haven't been that specific about too. I mean, who cares now?"

"Yeah, we all have crap in our pasts. It's not like it's a secret, but sometimes it's just not work talking about."

"Thank you. Both of you," Angeal said, his smile slowly returning. "It's definitely just that—crap from my past. We broke up nearly two years ago, and I'm happier now than I can remember being in…I don't even know how long. Between having a new career, and having both of you—I couldn't ask for more."

"So, wait. Did you really meet when you were just kids?"

"Yes."

"And so you grew up together?"

"…Yes."

"And you had a crush on him and thought it was unrequited all that time? Until the boat scene when you were in college?"

Angeal chuckled quietly. "Yes. Nearly everything that happened in the first book was accurate. A few scenes got a little exaggerated, and Genesis obviously enjoyed being able to phrase Ignis' lines perfectly even when it wasn't always how he phrased things, but in terms of the events the characters went through, yeah."

"Whoa. So why'd you…" Zack frowned, unable to finish his question. "This is gonna be another spoiler, isn't it?"

"I haven't read the sequel, but probably," Angeal confirmed solemnly.

"Ignis finally lands his dream job then?" Zack guessed, not waiting for either to nod in confirmation. "And…so what? That's great news, isn't it?"

"I was happy for him," Angeal said with a sigh. "I still am, even after everything. It just so happened his dream job included a lengthy long book tour. Between travel and doing workshops and conferences, the contract was set to take up to two years. And that was before he had a sequel."

"You couldn't go along or visit?"

"It's more complicated than that. I didn't want to stop working just to go with him—it's not who I am. Visiting would've been fine for me, but Genesis has always been…needy. I'm sure we could've worked something out, but he made it clear he didn't want to feel tied down to someone who wouldn't be around regularly."

"Ohh," Cloud muttered, nodding in sudden understanding. "That sounds just like Ignis."

"We both…we said a lot of things the day he left, and that was that. We haven't spoken since."

"I just read the argument," the blond said, wincing at the thought. It hurt even more to think about in this new context. "It was harsh—pretty obvious neither of them wanted it to end that way."

"I'm sure parts were dramatized to keep things interesting," Angeal reasoned with a shrug. "I honestly don't care either way. I have no interest in reading the book, or talking about him at all—unless you have more questions."

"Nah, I mean—we already know tons more about your old relationship than you do ours just from reading the book," Zack rationalized. "It's not fair to grill you about it more. Why don't you ask us questions instead? If there's anything left we haven't talked about."

"Reading that book doesn't mean you owe me a detailed report on your previous relationships. I _like_ how things are—how I get to learn more about you both as things come up naturally. Unless there's something on your mind that you _want_ to discuss now, I'd rather keep doing what we've been doing."

"I do have just one more question then, if that's okay," Cloud said slowly. Angeal nodded in silent permission. "How come we never met him? You must've been with him back when we first met—you didn't bring him around to the company get-togethers like Zack did with me?"

Angeal chuckled. "Genesis actually worked for ShinRa back then. He always saw it as temporary though, so he thought he was above company gatherings. I guess he was right."

Zack didn't hide his surprise. "Wait, he worked there too?"

"Yes. I'm sure I introduced you back when you were still an intern—he used to come by my office for lunch most days."

"Oh yeah…I remember, he was the good looking guy who worked in marketing before my promotion, right? Weird taste in red jackets?"

"Yes."

"I didn't realize it was the same dude," Zack admitted. "You'd said your ex was a writer, so I figured you and that guy broke up ages ago—that it was someone else since then."

"No, it was always him. We were together for about eight years," Angeal explained. "And you have to remember, the three of us didn't really start spending so much time together until a few months after he'd already left me. In a way he was the reason this all happened—I had a lot more free time, and any opportunity to go out was better than going back to an empty apartment."

"You did seem down back then," Zack said, nodding along. "That's why I kept bugging you about going out to catch up and all that. Then it was just fun, so I kept asking."

"Exactly. We're well beyond all that now. The time I spend with you has nothing to do with him, and it hasn't for a very long time."

"Relax, Ang," Cloud said, offering him a small smile. "We didn't think at all—I was just curious about him since you were with him so long and we've known you all this time. I guess it's easy to forget that just because we met so long ago doesn't mean we were really friends until the last couple years."

Angeal's stern look lightened just slightly. "Sometimes I wonder how I knew you all that time and _didn't_ get this close to you right away."

"You were in a long term, committed relationship," Cloud said with a shrug.

"Annnnd I wasn't technically _your_ intern, but I may as well have been. I'm pretty sure ShinRa frowns upon that kinda thing," Zack added with a wink.

"I'm just happy to have you both now."

Cloud and Zack both nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with the sentiment. It was weird to think how their relationship had never felt _lacking_ in any way, yet now felt even more powerful than before with Angeal a part of it.

"Hey," Cloud mumbled, moving in close enough to wrap his arms around Angeal's waist. "I know it was supposed to be you guys' date night, but maybe I can join you in bed? I'm kinda ready to lay down."

"Of course," Angeal replied, bringing his thick arms around Cloud's body and holding him close.

"Where else would you sleep, the guest room?" Zack teased, laughing softly as Cloud shrugged into Angeal's arms.

"I dunno," he said indifferently. "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to get a bit more time alone."

"We woulda gone back to his place if that was what we wanted," Zack interjected smoothly. "And uh. I may want a preview of you guys' big meeting tomorrow, if you're up to it."

Cloud pulled back a bit. "You told him about that?"

"I may have mentioned it. I told him I didn't know how serious you were though," Angeal said, looking adorably bashful.

"Very serious. I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened already."

"I'm not. Running your own business with no extra help is a lot of work," Zack said, hands on his hips. "You'll probably get there tomorrow and realize you don't have time."

"Let me guess—that's why you want a preview?"

"What kinda boyfriend would I be if I didn't help you guys out? If there's some kink or roleplay you wanna do, I'm gonna make it happen."

"So incredibly thoughtful of you," Cloud muttered, biting his lower lip to prevent himself from laughing at Zack's bright, goofy expression. Even with that ridiculous grin, he looked too damn handsome for his own good. Clearly he knew he was about to get his way…he almost always did. "What do you think, Ang? You wanna put on your apron and show him your sexy baker look?"

Angeal raised both brows. "That depends. Are you going to dress up too?"

"Uh, I thought we were just having office sex when we were talking earlier, I didn't know it was a _scene_ or whatever. It's not like I have a delivery uniform."

"I might have something fun in the closet for you," Zack said casually. "Wait till you see the shorts!"

He was already headed toward the bedroom, leaving a flustered Cloud and bemused Angeal in each other's arms.

* * *

It wasn't that he hadn't had an amazing night with Zack and Angeal…it was just that the book was _really good._ He'd been fully distracted straight through till the moment he closed his eyes and drifted off, but now that he was awake again, he had to know…

"Seriously? You don't feel awkward reading that now?"

Cloud lowered the book just enough to glare as a sleepy Zack settled into the chair beside him at the kitchen table. "Don't act like you're not planning to read it still."

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"It's not that I want to pry," Cloud added quickly, feeling apologetic as his eyes shifted to Angeal—he was only a step behind Zack, looking just as tired. "If it makes you even a little bit uncomfortable, I'll stop."

"Please, it's fine," Angeal insisted with a drowsy chuckle. "There's a big difference between a true story and based on a true story. I _would_ prefer if you stopped picturing me as Gladiolus though."

"How can I stop now? He described those chiseled biceps to the T, right up to that little scar you have!"

"…Well, if you could not picture it as me with _him_ , at least, that would ideal."

"I don't even know what he looks like."

The light bulb turned on in his head at his own words, and he quickly had his bookmark in place as he flipped to the short author's biography…There hadn't been one in book one, and he'd been too excited to get started on this book to bother with it.

Sure enough, there was a small picture—an incredibly handsome man with red hair and a coy smile, eyes bright enough even in print to pierce him as he eyed the page.

"I see what you mean about weird red jackets," Cloud offered, shrugging off his other thoughts as both his boyfriends laughed softly. "But no, he looks nothing like Ignis—their hair is completely different, plus he's not even wearing glasses!"

"He wears contacts," Angeal revealed. "The glasses are based off the style he used to prefer."

Cloud had already flipped back to the page he'd left off on, taking one last bite of toast before continuing to read. Breakfast was never his favorite anyway. "Only one more chapter to go."

"Holy shit. I thought you said you had like a hundred pages last night?"

"I've been up for a while now."

Zack blinked in surprise. "You never voluntarily wake up early. Maybe I'll take it to work with me then, if it's that good. I think one of my meetings got canceled, so I can probably swing a long lunch."

"I could stop by with some take out if you want instead," Angeal offered. "It's a busy day for us, but we'll have to take a break to eat too."

"Holy crap," Cloud muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"Fictitious make up in the end?" Zack guessed eagerly, Angeal scoffing in response.

"Uh, not exactly. I shouldn't say, it's a big spoiler."

"Nah, it's fine. I'm gonna read it no matter what, so you may as well just tell me."

"Ignis goes off and spends the last hundred pages after that fight basically realizing his dream isn't what he'd imagined, not without Gladiolus in his life…But he's too proud to call. Too stubborn to apologize," Cloud explained slowly. "At one point he just accepts that's how it's going to be, and it just ends there, out of the blue."

"Not entirely shocking," Angeal mumbled.

"Yeah, but then after two _blank_ pages, there's a super short epilogue. I don't even know if you can call it that, it's only a few lines. I guess it's more like a teaser for the next book."

"What's it say?"

" _It took months of denial, weeks of self-doubt, and days of pacing…but at the end of it all, there was really only one conclusion, Ignis realized. He took one last deep breath, finally ready to share that conclusion with the only person who truly mattered,"_ Cloud read carefully, _"And then he knocked."_

"…That's all?" Angeal asked skeptically.

"Well, he probably doesn't know how the story continues yet—he hasn't shown up at your door like this," Cloud concluded with a frown. "I think it means he will though."

"No. Genesis knows how to write a dramatic story—it's who he is. None of that means he'll literally turn up at my door."

"But what if it does?"

Angeal considered it. "I would hear what he had to say, be as amicable as possible in response, and send him on his way. He's just not someone I'm ready to have back in my life right now, even as a friend."

"But what if whatever conclusion he reached is heartfelt, and—"

"Cloud," Angeal interjected, shaking his head sternly. "What do you want me to say here?"

"I, uh…I guess I don't know. It probably sounds weird, but I really want things to work out with Ignis and Gladiolus. They deserve to be happy, and if they'd just communicated a little better in the end there—"

"And you'd still want that even if, hypothetically speaking, you found out Gladiolus had spent months and months soul searching before finding love again?"

"He found love again?"

"Didn't he?" Angeal asked, like it was the simplest thing. He looked from Cloud to Zack, the certainty on his face bringing a smile to both of theirs. "When you first suggested dating, I wanted it to work, but I was sure I'd just end up being a third wheel. Now though…I can see I was wrong. What we have works. I can say without a single doubt that I love you both."

"I feel the same," Cloud told him.

Zack smiled his best smile, looking from one boyfriend to the next. "Me too. I love you both."

"Then forget about Ignis—let's just hope he found his own happiness, and focus on our story from now on."


End file.
